From Russia with Love
by globemaster3
Summary: Mystery, plotting, and murder. Imagine a spy is added to the midst of GG cast. The major themes will not change until the season finale. Picks up during 3x16, The Empire Strikes Jack. Lots of intrigue.
1. Chapter 1

From Russia with Love Ch 1

A Season 3 off-shoot/rewrite that centers on a Jenny Humphrey and an Author created character. The major themes of the episodes will not change until the season finale, but my additions/changes will be made clear. The story picks up during Season 3, Episode 16, The Empire Strikes Jack.

* * *

The waitress delivered an ice chilled vodka quickly to the table in a back corner of the New York club and deposited it unceremoniously in front of a single young man who looked barely old enough to drink alcohol. He had a single ear bud in his left ear and had a wistful look to him. From his eyes she could tell his mind was anywhere but in the club that night. But, the man paid for the already over priced drink with a twenty, ensuring that he would be well taken care of the rest of the night.

Gabriel tuned out the sounds of the club and the boisterous bachelor party going on in the VIP room behind him. He listened to the recording his man had made earlier that evening of an exchange between mother and son. This information would certainly change the pieces on the board to be sure.

The whole thing had started off as a simple background check. His contact at an insurance company wanted a reappraisal of the associated risk with the new leaders of Bass Industries following the death of Bart Bass. Investors were freaking out and the company was floundering to stay aloft, as it prepared for what some feared was the inevitable death spiral. While he was working up the backgrounds quietly without the knowledge of the parties he was checking on, he had stumbled across a few odd pieces of information that he chose to keep for himself and not pass on in his final report to the company. By the time of the submittal, Lily Bass had been made the new head of Bass Industries and all good things seemed to be on the horizon.

Most investigators would have moved right past the information but he had noticed the irregularity in Bart Bass's personal accounts and tracked them down to Elizabeth Fisher, Chuck Bass's mother. After a flight to Switzerland and a break in at Chuck Bass's newly opened hotel to steal some basic DNA samples from both parties he had solid proof of the parentage. It had take some time to find out how best to use the information but he was now seeing the fallout from it all as Jack Bass toyed with Elizabeth's heart and pulled at Chuck's strings.

Sipping his vodka, a thought crossed his mind for an even greater plan, one that would net him enough to retire in the true lap of luxury for the rest of his days. He could become wealthy enough to cut all his current underworld contacts and go completely legit. But he would have to play his cards carefully and with perfect timing. He listened to the recording of Chuck and his mother as she laid out the full extent of her betrayl. He was close but not quite ready for the terms Gabriel wished to offer him.

Gabriel had been working several other jobs while keeping an eye on the Bass family, which by this time had now become one with the Van der Woodsens and the Humphreys. The world of social twists and turns they lived in left him staggering and sadly far behind where he would like to have been. Having been out of the country for a few weeks he had missed the opportunity to pass to Chuck Bass information regarding the true nature of his mother's return, the law suit that Jack had staged, or the fat bribe he had given to Chuck's family lawyer. But missed opportunities were simply that, missed; and his line of work one could only learn and adapt to the changing landscape. If you didn't then you wouldn't live for very long. He had spent the night trailing Jack Bass and watching Serena Van der Woodsen and Nate Archibald fumble around at Eleanor Waldorf's fashion show trying to trip Jack up and catch him in a compromising position with a pair of prostitutes. They were trying to play outside of their league and it wasn't going to work. Jack was a consummate villain and patient as well. That made him a very dangerous party to contend with. He had patience, malice, and enough power and money to make all his darkest desires come true. And yet he continued to waste his talents playing these mind games with children. 'What a waste,' thought Gabriel.

Well, he could change all that. Gabriel smiled as he leaned back in his chair and sipped at his recently freshened drink. The plan was forming in his mind, the scattered pieces that had once been chaos were looking like they would only need a few small moves and he would reap his biggest payoff yet. Satisfied with the plan and relaxed from the vodka coursing through his system he began to take in the world around him. The curtain parted to the VIP room and he saw something that made him sit up and take full notice of all his current surroundings. He senses were on full alert looking for signs of surveillance, an opposing force, anything that might show sign of a threat. The head of bleach blonde hair and skinny frame was difficult to mistake. He had just seen the young step-daughter of Lily Bass half passed out on a couch in the bachelor party.

"What the hell is going on?" Gabriel said under his breath as left his seat and slipped past the curtain into the room unnoticed by the other patrons to better gauge this new situation before him.

* * *

Nate dialed Jenny's number for the 10th time in last half hour and finally got Jenny to pick up. He had seen her get into a cab with a few of the other girls from the fashion show and she had not looked well.

"Eehh, H-hello?" Jenny Humphrey's distant, sleepy voice wafted through the telephone

"Hey where are you, I've been calling you for-" Nate pestered her before she cut him off as he wandered the streets outside of Eleanor's fashion show.

"Nate… ugh, I don't know where I am. I feel sick"

"Ok, Jenny, hold on one second." Nate worked the mapping app on his Droid phone to locate Jenny. Within a few seconds his phone had found her location. "Listen just stay put. Alright, I'm coming to get you."

"Hurry Nate" Jenny said as she strained to retain her consciousness.

Nate hung up the call and tried to flag a cab to race of to club where Jenny was at, but fate had some different ideas. A limo ferrying attendees from the fashion show had broken down in the middle of the street and all the traffic either way was blocked now. He was a New Yorker though and started to jog over a few blocks to catch a cab that would be able to escape the traffic snarl. It would only take a few minutes, but tonight those minutes would mean everything.

* * *

Gabriel had been observing things for a few minutes now and had seen all he needed to see. He hadn't been discovered and there was no counter surveillance that he could detect. By a strange coincidence Jenny Humphrey had left the fashion show around the time that he was observing Jack Bass and elsewhere one of his men was recording the tearful discussion between Chuck and his mother with a directional microphone from across the street. She was barely conscious on the couch in the VIP room of the club and had been clearly drugged. Though he hadn't been paying the strictest attention to his surroundings while he'd been enjoying his drinks, he was certain she had to of arrived before him. There was no way his senses had been that dull, he thought to himself. From his position he blended in like any other wallflower from the bachelor party. The partiers were wrapping up the night though and doing a final round.

Gabriel was a predator of sorts, he tracked people all over the world and when the job required it, he did more than that. He had good instincts for it along with years of experience and training despite his youth. Right now it was his instincts that recognized another predator in the room, but of a far lower breed.

The drunk bastard had been eyeing her since Gabriel had set foot in the room. None of the other men in the group had acted on the semi-conscious girl but he clearly wanted to. The only thing holding him back was the pressure of his peers, but with the party winding down and the others leaving, that wouldn't last for long. He saw his chance to get laid that night and was going to take it as soon as he and his friends finished this last round of shots.

Gabriel on the other hand was torn. Operationally he was clean, and he should keep it that way by leaving right now, with no one the wiser. But a rare part of him was rearing it's head and giving voice for the first time in a long time, his conscience. He had always hated women beaters and rapists. He never felt much emotion at all to most things in this world, and he counted that as one of his greatest strengths. Acting calmly and rationally had kept him alive and helped him to make the right decisions and prosper where others had failed. If he were to intercede now, he could blow everything. The fire was burning inside him now though, a small flame of rage not content to be contained. He could see what was coming, and was left with two simple choices, act or leave.

The drunk was over at the couch now rubbing his hands up and down Jenny's leg as he leaned over her and said "Hey, wanna get out of here? I live real close, come on"

The flame grew to a raging fire as Gabriel watched the drunk paw and grope at her. A growl began to well up in his throat. 'Act or Leave?' his mind echoed.

"Where's Nate?" Jenny responded groggily as she looked up.

"Oh, is Nate your boyfriend? Well, he really shouldn't have left you." he grunted has he picked up her limp form

"No, I don't… Uhhh…" Jenny struggled weakly as he picked her up.

_(Author's Note: Right about now is when Nate stormed in during the actual episode)_

The drunk groped her breast and said "Come on, you came to party didn't you? You want it, you girls always want it."

The fire of anger within him burst into a raging blaze, reason was going to lose this one tonight.

'_ACT.'_ That was the only thought in his brain as he stormed across the room and punched the drunk in the stomach before anyone else in bar could notice he had moved or even really been there. The man doubled over as Gabriel grabbed the back of his head and brought it smashing into his knee breaking the man's nose. Deftly, he snatched Jenny's phone from the drunk's hands and had his arm around Jenny supporting and guiding her for the rear exit from the club before the first startled cries came from across the bar. He heard a few men's voices cry out "Hey!" as he stepped out into the alley and the door closed behind him. A line of taxis to ferry home drunk patrons was awaiting him around the next street and he and Jenny were already speeding away in one before the first pursuers were even at the end of the alley.

* * *

Nate tore the curtains away from the VIP room, it was the last place in the club that he hadn't looked. Inside was not what he expected. There was some guy unconscious on the ground bleeding all over himself. Several people had phones out and were dialing and talking, he was sure the police were on their way. A bartender walked over with some ice for the guy on the floor and Nate reached out and grabbed his arm.

"Hey did you see a young girl with bleach blonde hair around here at all? She's about this tall, wearing some black tights," holding up his hand.

"Yeah," responded the bartender as he handed the ice off to someone helping the busted up guy on the floor. "she was completely plastered and passed out on the couch. She was about to go home with this guy when out of nowhere some douche bag comes across the room, kicks the shit outta him," gesturing to the man on the ground with the blood and vomit down his front. "And then goes trucking out the back door with her in tow. Dude just came out of nowhere. I think that's her purse over there actually." The bartender said as he returned to his duties and waited for the police to arrive.

He went over to the handbag lying next to the couch and recognized it as Jenny's. A brief look inside confirmed it, but he found no phone inside. Nate was scared now, he dialed Jenny's phone and waited through the rings, praying she would pick up and he could track her location again.

* * *

As the cab drove through the city, Gabriel looked down at his new charge. He quickly measured her pulse and lifted her chin up to look at her face. He knew the girl was certainly cute from the photos he had seen of her with Lilly Bass but seeing her up close now he was taken aback by how just out right beautiful she was.

"Mnnn… Nate?" She moaned.

"Yeah, it's Nate. I'm taking you home. Just rest ok, we'll be there in a minute."

Her blue eyes swayed as he looked at her face.

The cabbie looked back in the rearview mirror. "HEY HEY, NO PUKE IN CAB!" he said in heavily accented English.

"She'll be fine, she's just sleepy."

Letting go of her face, she laid her head down in his lap and he stroked her arm trying to relax her as she fought the drugs in her system.

"HEY, NO SEXY SEX EITHER!" shouted the cabbie.

"Just keep your eyes on the goddamned road!" Gabriel retorted.

The cab driver grumbled some obscenities in Indian as he cut in front of some other traffic.

"Of all the dumb things I have ever done, tonight is easily going to have a top ten spot pretty well sewn up," Gabriel muttered to himself. He watched at the cab pulled up in front of the Jenny's building. As if riding around in a cab with a semi-conscious 17-year-old girl wasn't enough of a problem he had to sneak her past the door man of her building and then up her room. He hadn't really studied their building or its layout. There may have been a service elevator but he had no idea where it would be, and there simply wasn't time. He would just have to leave her with the doorman and get out of there fast.

He looked down at the girl and brushed the locks of hair from her face. She really was quite a beauty.

'This is STUPID! This is STUPID! This is STUPID!' the rational part of his brain chanted at him.

Jenny's phone began to ring again as they exited the cab. Gabriel was holding her up as the wary cab driver eyed them. The whole situation was a complete mess. He was attracting all kinds of undue attention right now. This, for someone that preferred to go through life unnoticed was not good, not good at all. As he paid the cabbie Jenny drunkenly answered her phone but all she could manage was a moan into it.

"Crap," Gabriel muttered. As he moved her toward the front door of the building and reached over to end the phone call but paused as he looked into the face of the building's doorman. One of the last people in the world he would have expected to see that night.

Vanya Ivanovich, the doorman to Jenny's building and father to Dorota's unborn child, had instantly recognized the stumbling Jenny Humphrey as she exited the cab and stepped out to see what was wrong and help her upstairs. He froze in place though as he saw the face of the man holding her upright. Shock and terror made all his features go rigid as he stared into the face of what had once been his certain death.

Gabriel straightened up as he pressed the end call button to Jenny's phone following his initial hesitation.

"Private Ivanovich, it truly is a small world indeed. Get the door will you? She's a bit of a handful," Gabriel said in Russian.

* * *

Nate raced out of the club and jumped in front of another group, stealing their cab. Above their protests he threw a $50 bill at the cabbie and yelled out the intersection he had just pinged from Jenny's brief phone call. The cab sped away from the drunken patrons and Nate tried to figure out what was going on and how she had gotten to her home? He had heard Jenny's voice but couldn't understand her. He had also heard another man's voice in the background briefly as the call had been ended. She had at least made it home but who was she with?

* * *

To say the ride up the elevator to the Humphrey home was awkward would have been a severe understatement. Finally, Vanya broke the silence first, speaking in his native tongue

"I thought I would never see you again. Y-You said before that if I ever saw you again, you would…ehhh…" Vanya stuttered out finally as the floors ticked by

"Yes that was the original plan, but fate seems to be conspiring against me on all fronts tonight. Fear not though Private, I'm not here for you." Gabriel said, saving him from saying aloud what was so clearly troubling him.

Wiping away the sweat from his brow he smiled weakly "That is good, but, uh, may I ask what happened to Miss Jenny?"

"Jenny? Is that her name? She was drugged, I found her at a club and she said she lived here," he lied. No need for Vanya to know why he would know who she was and where she lived. This was taking forever, couldn't this elevator move any faster?

Finally the door opened and they carried Jenny from the elevator, Vanya leading the way to her room. Once inside, Gabriel spoke in a hushed whisper.

"No one must know that I was here, now let's slip out quietly before her parents notices us"

"Will she be alright?" Vanya queried warily.

Gabriel felt her forehead with the back his hand and checked her pulse again. He frowned. "Go to the bathroom and pour her a glass of water. Quickly!" He hissed. Whatever she had been slipped was pretty potent. She was fighting it, but he was fairly certain she wouldn't remember much. Holding her head up he helped her drink the water. When the glass was empty he let her lay back down on the bed.

"It is so good to see you Vasily. I never got to thank you properly for all you did for me back then. I-" he sputtered on as Gabriel cut him off.

"We need to be going now" Gabriel said tersely. In his thoughts, his mind wandered back to recall the details of the Vasily identity that he had used so many years ago when Vanya and he had first crossed paths.

"Y-yes, yes, of course."

Then to his complete surprise, Jenny started to rouse herself. "Nate? Mnnnnn…"

Gabriel grabbed Vanya's arm and sped from the room moving with all possible haste and praying that her parents wouldn't hear them. Gabriel did not release his vice-like grip on Vanya until the elevator doors closed. The doors closed and Gabriel breathed a sigh of relief as they began to descend back to the lobby.

* * *

Nate leapt from his cab at the base of the Jenny's building. He didn't see anyone around initially and as he stepped into the lobby, Jenny's purse in hand, he was surprised not to see the Vanya, the faithful doorman. The place was completely empty as he began to move to the elevators.

* * *

Vanya was struggling to keep from asking questions, it was written all over his face. Gabriel decided to ease the situation by speaking.

"I'm doing business in New York these days, I'll contact you at the front desk in the next couple of days and we can update our current '_arrangements_' at a future time. Until then, you never saw me. It was Nate Archibald that dropped the Humphrey girl, understood?"

"Yes, sir" snapped Vanya, his heels actually snapping together as he popped to the position of attention.

"Please don't do that, those days are over." Gabriel muttered. Despite it all he had saved the damsel in distress and none of the people he was supposed to be surveilling were aware he even existed, with the exclusion of Jack Bass, who had no idea what he looked like. He reveled in how good it had felt to punch that drunken low-life. His feeling of satisfaction was short lived however as the door opened to reveal the Upper East Side's very own White Knight, Nathaniel Archibald, standing in front of him holding a purse.

'Shit' Gabriel thought.

*** End Chapter 1***


	2. Chapter 2

From Russia with Love Ch. 2

DISCLAIMER: I own nothing of Gossip Girl and I know nothing. The character of Gabriel being the sole exception. This is all fiction.

-This Chapter cover's events from the remainder of "the Empire Strikes Jack" and "Inglorious Bassterds"

* * *

The elevator door opened to reveal Nate Archibald standing with a very familiar purse in his hand. Years of masking his emotions allowed Gabriel to remain outwardly calm as the initial wave of shock hit him. Adrenaline pumped through his veins as he began an immediate recovery.

"Well Vanya it was so good to see you again, we really will have to catch up again sometime thank you so much for showing me your lovely building." Switching to Russian he said "handle him," tersely. Then back to English, "Pakah, my friend," Gabriel said as he turned his body exiting the elevator at the best angle he could to deny Nate a clear view of his face or a good profile.

(**A/N**: Pakah, is an informal good bye in Russian.)

He walked purposefully through the lobby, not to appear rushed but still wasting no time as Vanya interceded.

"Mr. Nate please come up, Miss Jenny arrived some time ago and couldn't remember where she put her purse, thank you for bringing it. She did not seem to be very well though. She is so lucky to have a good friend like you sir to look in on her."

"So you saw her-" Nate's voice was cut off as the elevator door closed and whisked him away from the lobby.

As he exited the building, Gabriel had to concede that Vanya had done well. Nate would be focused on the status on the girl and her condition and not on the strange man that just been in the elevator. It seemed being on the run and working from nothing on the streets of New York had taught him well. He had progressed much from the wide eyed Russian army private that Gabriel remembered first meeting so many years ago.

He had acted rashly tonight but had been lucky in the end. Such luck could not be counted on in the future. He needed to be more careful. He had an important meeting in a few days. If he played Jack Bass correctly, Chuck would be in the perfect mental condition to make his deal with the devil.

* * *

Rufus heard the ding of the elevator door and started down the stairs to see if the kids had come back from the fashion show. Coming down the stairs he saw Nate stepping off the elevator.

"Nate, good to see you. How was the show?"

"Uh, it was great. Is Jenny around though? She, uh, forgot her purse and I really want to make sure she gets it back." Nate didn't want to alarm Rufus, at least not until he had a better grasp of the situation. Angry parents wouldn't help anything.

"I don't think Jenny's back yet, I thought that was you two coming up. Although I thought I heard the elevator earlier, but never saw anyone." Then a weak voice came from across the room.

"Hey Dad, Sorry about that. I just was exhausted from… " she was holding herself up by the door frame and had to take a deep breath to steady herself. "-from the fashion show. I just needed to hit the sack for a little bit. The show was great though." She smiled weakly but effectively, trying to drive her point home.

Nate came to her rescue yet again by filling in the gaps. "Yeah there were no cabs so I walked her home, but she forgot her purse, then I went back for it so she could rest up."

"Yeah, I'm so tired still, I think I'm just gonna crash," Jenny chimed in.

"Oh, I'm glad it went so well. Thanks Nate, you really are too thoughtful. I think Jenny has the right idea though with getting some rest. I think we could all use it," as Rufus headed up stairs wishing the two young friends good night.

Nate briskly walked over to Jenny's room as she retreated back inside and collapsed on the bed. "What in the world happened? I was searching for you all night" He paused looking at her and then changed tactics. "Hey, are you ok?"

Jenny held her aching head "What's wrong with me?"

"Nothing is wrong with you. What are you talking about?"

"I keep getting into these situations when all I want is out of these stupid games." Two stray tears began to make their way down face. "I'm so scared right now, nothing makes sense. Like how did I end up here? I don't remember anything but your voice over the phone and in the cab. That was the only thing that was keeping me hanging on."

"Hey look things will turn around ok. I mean things haven't exactly been so easy for me either. But I mean now I'm with Serena, and I'm happy. Things will turn around for you too," Nate assured, as he said what he thought would comfort her. Instead he was tearing away at her heart. He was too good and too pure. It was what attracted her to him but also what she couldn't stand some times. He would never cheat on someone he was with, he was the stalwart friend she could depend on. But he would never see her as the potential lover that she yearned to be. She'd had her chance the previous year and she had been cast aside, ever to remain a friend or little sister. She was someone to be protected, not someone to be loved. Not an equal.

"Yeah, what if you're wrong Nate," she mused. "What if-," she was interrupted by the chirping of her phone receiving a text message. Since this conversation wasn't leading in the romantic direction she was yearning for, she paused to check it.

"It's from Eleanor: 'Great job tonight, you're hired. Lunch tomorrow.' Ok, oh my god!" she was smiling genuinely now, moving past yet another stumbling block with the guy she so longed to be with.

"There see! And I hope that you learn from this, mostly that I'm always right," he said with a wink and smile.

"OK, true statement. Oh God, Nate," she said with a sigh. "Thank you so much for tonight." She leaned in and hugged him. When they parted she said, "When I found out Agnes had roofied my drink, I was so scared. I don't know what would have happened without you," she finished softly. "You saved me." She batted her eyes as innocently as she could, trying to draw him in. Every hormone in her body screaming for him to take her right then, but her mind knew he never would.

"Well actually I-uh," Nate didn't really know what to say. She couldn't remember what had happened. Hell, she honestly thought he had gotten her home in the cab. Having her worry about who had actually brought her home when it was clear at this point they would never know didn't seem like the right thing to do. What was important was that she was safe and that she get some rest. "You're welcome," he said as he rested his hand on her knee, briefly raising her hopes only to dash them as he kissed her on the forehead cementing their relationship as 'just friends' or doting siblings even, rather than as the more equal footed lovers that she longed for.

_(Author's Note, so at this point more or less things proceed essentially as they did in the season 3 episodes. But Nate has done something he never did in the Episodes, he as lied to Jenny. Something I always found interesting, he has never lied to Jenny that I can remember. Good news for those that are rooting for those two to get together in the actual show I think.)_

* * *

Walking down the bustling New York City street, Gabriel steeled himself for the meeting. He needed to lead his subject down the correct path but not be too forceful. It had been several days since the incident at the club and it was time for his meeting with a man he had been dealing with for some months now. This, however, was their first face to face meeting. It was important that he be able to read his subjects subtle reactions in order to steer him down the right path. There was also the added benefit of the security detail learning his face, not something he would usually relish in, but today's gambles would later become tomorrow's profits to reap.

He walked up, unarmed, to the Empire Hotel and went directly to the Penthouse. He was frisked by Jack's security and would then be allowed to proceed, but Jack Bass, himself, stepped into the foyer and interceded in the middle of the process. Like all of his security and underworld contacts, Jack Bass knew him only as Alexei. A very capable, very well recommended, very expensive operative.

"Gentlemen, please, this man is a close business associate. There is no need for this entire Gestapo act. Come now Alexei, I trust you have good news to bring me."

When Gabriel had found the information about Elizabeth Fisher actually being the mother of Chuck Bass, he did not approach Chuck with this information, but rather his uncle Jack. The man was known the world over as being morally reprehensible and paying very, very well. Gabriel was looking to get paid, not assuage some moral conscience to reunite a family. No, he'd get 5 times from Jack Bass for giving him this sort of under-the-table information than he would from the younger Bass man. A few months back, he had done precisely that, and been paid handsomely for his efforts. Now he was enjoying his continued employment as Jack's eyes and ears monitoring all the players in the drama he and Jack had created.

"I have a recording that I'm sure you'll find rather entertaining," handing Jack the tape of Elizabeth's confession to Chuck of her betrayal and of Chuck turning his back on her. "It's powerful stuff," he added, passing over a typed report as well.

"I have no doubt. Elizabeth believed every line of bullshit I fed her in Zurich. Taking this hotel, by using his mother against him is my crowning jewel in breaking Bart's little golden boy. Bass industries should have been mine but I can wait. Lily's reign won't last forever. On the other hand, I just can't bide my time and watch his favored son reap all the riches that should have been mine. Now I hold his prize possession though, and I will destroy it in front of him."

Gabriel had seen enough James Bond movies to know you always let the evil man with the money have his monologue. To interrupt the villain always brought swift death from a trap door, or trained mutant mountain lions or something. When Jack was done with his reverie he observed the young man before him.

"I must say Alexei, you look far younger than I ever would have suspected. Especially, from our phone conversations."

"It's a strength that has served me well in this profession. My enemies always underestimate me when they see my youth and my subjects rarely suspect me because of it."

"I'll keep that in mind," Jack responded.

'I rather doubt you will you overconfident prick' Gabriel thought as he kept is ever neutral expression.

"Do you take your Scotch neat or on the rocks?" as he prepared some glasses.

"Neat, please." Gabriel accepted the glass then took a seat. "If I may speak freely sir,"

"You may." Jack responded, surprised by the request, but still soothed by Gabriel's respectful tone.

"You've taken the Empire right from under him, and dismantling it piece by piece will weigh heavily on him, but I wouldn't go so far as to say you've taken his prize possession. I've been monitoring this young man for some weeks and, if I may say sir, to truly shake to him to his brittle core, you may have to take one last extra step."

"How do you mean? I've taken his symbol he used to stand up to his father's memory, I've destroyed his memory of his mother. What else is there?"

"You've taken his symbol; you've crushed his memories and his heritage. All he has left is his heart."

"Blair." Jack stated.

"Precisely."

"I believe you underestimate me Alexei. I already have a plan in motion to ruin precisely that. I'll make an indecent proposal that he won't be able to refuse without losing everything, but in the process it will ruin him by showing Blair his true nature. Bart's little spoiled bastard."

"Yes, sir. I figured you would. It is the next logical step in your campaign. But if I might point out a simple change of the rules that would force him to play his own hand in the betrayal."

"Continue."

"To make the woman he loves revile him, would be the true icing on the cake, sir. When you offer him the choice, should he chose the hotel; tie his hands. He must not be allowed to go to Blair and ask for her help or permission," Gabriel proffered releasing a rare, thin smile.

Jack looked at him sidelong, swirling his scotch. He was considering what Gabriel was proposing.

"In order to get the Hotel back he would not only have to give up Blair, but aid in deceiving her to give herself to me," he said stroking his beard. "I like it," Jack mused.

"It's the complete kill sir. If he asks her to do it, she does it out of love and after some time they are able to continue on. However, if he is party to the betrayal and you expose his part in it all to her as she is prostrating herself before you, then your victory is complete. She loves him completely, all you have to do is have him in on it and he'll tell you precisely which buttons to push."

"And when she is throwing herself at me to save the man she loves, I'll expose the true nature of her situation and the betrayal will ruin them completely. I love it." Jack beamed as he sipped at his scotch.

"Precisely, sir."

"That is a scheme truly worthy of the Upper East Side Alexei," Jack Bass smiled.

"Thank you, sir. Scheming is one thing though. Execution is something else entirely."

"I will take the information you've brought me under consideration. I like the way your mind works though. You have real gift. If you ever feel the need to break away from New York there will always be a place for your kind of talent at Bass Industries in Australia. And should you come across any other information of the caliber of your first report to me; I promise you will be richly rewarded."

For all the lies this man spewed out, Gabriel had no doubt that this last statement was true. He had a guaranteed income stream with Jack Bass; all he needed was to do what he was already doing. But nothing good ever came without risking what you had. No, Gabriel was going to simply be a guiding hand as Jack walked step by step to his own demise. Their meeting adjourned. Over the next several days Jack's plan went exactly as they two of them had laid out.

When Chuck came to Jack laying all his cards on the table and saying that he would do ANYTHING to get back the Empire he had to make a true choice of loyalty or betrayal. Jack would give him the Empire back in exchange for Blair, but if he caught wind that Blair was in on the deal, Chuck would get nothing. In this contract, the Devil truly was in the details.

Gabriel watched as the chosen children of the Upper East Side played their games of assassin at the birthday of Nate Archibald. None of them aware of the players at work against them. Most simply content to be blissful pawns. Blair, the queen, unwittingly being sacrificed by her king, Chuck.

* * *

"Please tell me Jack was lying." Blair said after walking into the lobby of her building late that evening to find Chuck waiting for her. "You wouldn't betray me like that."

"Me betray you? You're the one who just came from seeing my uncle!"

"I went there for you!" Blair cried. "Because I thought it was the only way that would save your hotel." Staring at him as the betrayal became suddenly real to her. "I'd have done anything to help. All you had to do was ask."

Chuck hesitated. "If I had asked, it wouldn't have worked. You would have been too willing when Jack came to you. He would have known we were working together. I did what I had to do to WIN!

"NO…" Blair stuttered.

"I can't let my feelings cost me all that I've built."

"Even if it means losing me instead," she spoke, the tears beginning to fall in earnest. She fought to suppress the sobs. "All I ever did was love you," she choked out.

"The worst thing I ever did. The darkest thought I ever had. You said you would stand by me through anything. This Blair, is anything." Chuck laid out his ultimatum.

"I never thought that the worst thing you would ever do would be to me!" she choked between the tears.

"You went up there on your own." Chuck said. The slap that Blair gave him resonated through Gabriel's ear buds.

"Good Bye, Chuck"

'Check mate Chuck Bass' thought Gabriel as he watched and recorded from the shadows. This game was now complete but Gabriel had never been playing to win this round. He had been playing for the rematch. Chuck Bass had now lost what was truly dear to him and he had Jack Bass to blame for it all. He would be ready to 'go to the mattresses' when Gabriel came knocking. Gabriel stowed his directional microphone and slowly walked down the New York City sidewalk with a skip in his step, whistling a happy tune. Things were going precisely to plan once again.

End Chapter 2

* * *

Author's note:

I really love this Chapter because it

A. really paints Gabriel as precisely the Anti-Hero I want him to be and

B. it fills in one of the most nagging plot holes in Season 3. Why the hell didn't Chuck just bring in Blair on the whole deal with Jack? What did he mean by the line about 'You would have been too eager?' I understood what the writers were getting at but they didn't fill in the necessary be pieces of the puzzle. I wanted to add those pieces together with this story.

P.S. If you don't know what "going to the mattresses" is then you need to stop what you are doing right now and go watch the Godfather immediately, or at the very least You've Got Mail. That will explain it all.


	3. Chapter 3

From Russia with Love Ch. 3

DISCLAIMER: I own nothing of Gossip Girl and I know nothing. The character of Gabriel being the sole exception. This is all fiction.

-This chapter covers the events of "The UnBlairable Lightness of Being" where Vanya and Dorota have their wedding

* * *

Timing would be everything. It was like hunting an elk, after the kill shot had been made. The animal was wounded but would continue to move and struggle, using every last bit of lifeblood left to try and flee it's predator. A hunter need not rush, he need only show patience and follow the trail. Death would catch it eventually, even if the prey did not know it yet. Chuck Bass was wallowing in depression, in time he would try to make one last gasping attempt save his relationship with the Waldorf girl and when it inevitably failed he would act.

'_Patience,'_ he told himself_, 'Patience.'_

Since this new project was dominating all of his time, Gabriel had no side jobs at the moment. He was patient but he hated to be idle. There was always something that could be done to prepare or train. He had already put himself through a vigorous workout running through central park and then a local Jujitsu club. He was still enjoying the warm satisfying feeling in his muscles when he decided it might be time to tie up another loose end.

Vanya would need to be kept quiet. A bribe could suffice, he had overheard in his surveillance that the man had proposed to Waldorf's maid, Dorota. The money could go a long way for a newlywed couple. However, he hoped to persuade the man into silence by reminding him of old loyalties. He dialed the number for Lily Bass's building, and asked for Vanya when the front desk answered.

"Uhh, Hello? May I help you?" Vanya's confused voice queried.

"Vanya, my friend, good afternoon. It's Vasily. I was wondering if we could talk and catch up, when is a good time for you?"

"Oh Vasily, I fear I would never hear from you. So much has happened, I propose to my love Dorota last week, and now Mr. Bass say that he will throw us wedding tomorrow. There is so much to do, you caught me just as I was about to leave work. We will have a game night tonight like in old country and then the ceremony is tomorrow."

'_And cue last gasping attempt.'_ Gabriel thought to himself.

"Vanya, that is excellent news. I am very happy for you both. I'll just-" but Vanya cut him off.

"Vasily, please you must come. I owe you so much. None of my happiness now would be possible if not for what you did for me. Please, the party is tonight at 7. We can talk then."

Fate was either setting him up for disaster and demise or lighting his way down a path of golden bricks. He couldn't quite figure out which. Spending the evening with Vanya would put him precariously close to a past he wanted kept distant and forgotten. However, the chance to observe Chuck Bass and see his current mental and emotional condition was information simply too good to pass up. He could glean the information by other means, but it would take longer. It would be so much simpler to just observe things with his own eyes. He had a knack for seeing things others did not.

"Ok, I'll be there tonight. You can drop the Vasily nonsense, I haven't used that name in some time. I go by Gabriel now. Take care Vanya Ivanovich." Gabriel said this last line in Russian to drive home his point.

"Yes, I will see you tonight." Vanya's voice was shaky at the mention of his old name. "And it's Belikov now. Vanya Belikov."

"Yes Vanya, I know. I'm the one who gave you the passport. Do make sure to remember that." *CLICK*

The subtle warning had been clear. Vanya did not need it to be repeated. He held the phone to his ear for a while longer as he waited for the chill running down his spine to dissipate. He knew that Gabriel was a good man at heart, Vanya was living proof of that. But Vanya had also seen what could happen to people that stood against Gabriel. He was not a man to be trifled with.

* * *

The party that night was a mix of new world class and old world culture. It was held in the Humphrey-Bass Penthouse which was immaculate as always but now filled the loud boisterous voices of many Slavic tongues and Eastern European music. Gabriel may have grown up in Russia but he could barely consider himself one. His childhood experiences had been less than traditional. He sipped at his vodka making idle conversation friends of the bride and groom. He had never heard of this dancing game with the balloons and instead chose to sit out and observe. Chuck and Blair were obviously at odds. Blair was at the party because of her societal obligations and her bond with Dorota, not because she wanted to be dancing around with Chuck Bass.

The balloon game was about to start, and Gabriel maneuvered behind the snack table to keep his normal wallflower position and better observe his subject. As the music started to play he noticed he was directly across the table from Eric Van Der Woodsen and Jenny Humphrey.

"Ugh, tradition since the 14th century. What next raping and pillaging?" Eric muttered.

"No, they save that for after the ceremony tomorrow night. But don't spoil the surprise for everyone else," Gabriel chimed in and then knocked back the rest of his drink. Then set off to find a fresh one and a new perch.

Jenny laughed a little at the joke, "Well that should be fun for all of us." The young man before her struck her with an odd sense of familiarity that she couldn't quite put her finger on. He reminded her of a younger version of her father, Rufus Humphrey. Much shorter hair than her dad would have had at that age, but similar in the dark, rugged features. 'Yes, that must be it' she thought. She thought she caught a wink from him as moved off to the bar. Then turning to Eric, "So I'm guessing you didn't see Elliot."

"I waited for 3 hours. I beat my high score on Brick Breaker and Flight Control. Maybe I should just give up."

"What? No! Look, quitting is for losers. Except, well, Oprah can get away with it. And well, maybe Nate and Serena."

"Jenny," Eric warned her as she began treading a dangerous path.

"What Nate is my friend and Serena is my sister, I just want to see that they're ok."

Eric stared at her incredulously.

"Really," Jenny said in her best fake honest voice.

'What has gotten into me?' he thought. Gabriel stopped listening to the two step siblings and moved his attention to Chuck Bass as he made his approach to Blair Waldorf after blowing off the advances of a leggy, Russian blonde.

He moved over to the refreshment table where Eleanor Waldorf was pestering Dan to be a help and fetch some ice. Blair looked positively hostile, and Chuck wasn't going anywhere so Gabriel shifted his attention again.

"These Russians drink more than Larry Hagman on his first liver. The bar tender needs more ice." Eleanor said.

"Um, Yeah, you do know that I'm not working this party right?" questioned Dan, referencing a previous fiasco at one of Eleanor's parties.

"Mm-hmm" she nodded.

"Eh, alright I'll do it."

"Here, I'll lend you a hand. It's sure to be a long night"

"Thanks dude. I'm Dan Humphrey," he said extending his hand as they walked away to fetch the ice. The strength of the grip wasn't quite off putting but it definitely took Dan by surprise.

"Gabriel, pleased to meet you. This is a lovely home you have."

"Thanks, it's my step-Mom's. So how do you know the wedding party?" Dan asked as they began to fill their respective buckets with ice.

"Vanya and I know each other from the old country. I helped him come across to the states."

"Really? I wouldn't have pegged you for being from Russia. You have like no accent. That's impressive."

"Yes," Gabriel said. "I was raised with many languages. Trust me though, this kind of speech does not come without a lot of hard work and many years. So are you going to school here in the city?" It was surprisingly relaxing to Gabriel to speak the truth, even if it was only a half-truth. It had been so long.

"Yeah, I'm attending NYU for their writing program. Blair is there as well." Gesturing toward her and Chuck's direction.

"Ah, so is that your step-brother then?" he asked.

"By nature of the round-about way that the Upper Manhattan matrimonial systems works, yes. Chuck is the son of Lily's 4th husband, now deceased. No direct family lines, but on paper, yes we're step-brothers. It kind of makes my head spin sometimes thinking about it."

"Yeah, you Upper East Siders could really give the European monarchies a run for their money with complex lineage."

"Tell me about it, I'm from Brooklyn and it's a daily struggle to keep up sometimes."

Gabriel gave Dan a sidelong, incredulous look. "Oh yeah, you're really struggling up here," gesturing to the bottles of Dom lined up at the bar. "Clearly."

"Fair enough, fair enough"

Gabriel look at the still dancing Chuck and Blair and then on to Eric, Jenny, and Nate. Nate and Serena seemed to be feuding over something. Jenny tossed her head and smiled. Her blonde mane seemed to fall about her shoulders in slow motion. _'Her smile and her eyes really were enchanting,'_ he thought. He must have been looking a little too intently or had an expression of some longing need because then Dan said this:

"Umm, hey, you wouldn't happen to be gay would you?"

There had been VERY few times in his life were Gabriel was stunned into silence. This was one of those times. He gave a Dan a shocked stare and the silence hung in the air. "What?"

"Um, Oh Crap. Sorry, I just saw you looking over in Eric's direction and he's single right now and… Uh, look I am definitely not cut out for gay matchmaking. I'm REALLY sorry." Dan said as his words stumbled out over one another.

"Right… I can assure you I'm not gay. I'd say just let Eric do his own matchmaking in the future. Stick with the writing. Go with what you know, Daniel."

*POP* Blair and Chuck stood across from the each other on the dance floor like combatants. "This game is OVER," she said loudly.

'_Saved by the Balloon'_ Dan thought. Thankful for a quick out from the now awkward conversation.

"Well looks like the wedding couple wins the first round." Gabriel said as the two young men watched Blair storm off. _'A scorned woman. As dependable as a fine Swiss watch,'_ he thought.

"Uh, I think better go deliver this ice to the table and see if she's alright. Sorry about the misunderstanding."

"Of course, pleasure meeting you Dan,"

* * *

The party continued on into the night, but Gabriel had seen all needed to of Chuck and Blair. After watching her walk away from Dan's failed attempt to console her she looked positively as brittle as a china cup. She wouldn't be able to hold up this false pretense for long. She would break and that would break Chuck. It would happen in the next few days, maybe even tomorrow. Weddings always were a pressure cooker of emotions. With their show complete he entertained himself watching the painful antics of young Jenny Humphrey pining for Nate Archibald. Nate and Serena were at opposite ends of the room and Jenny was following Nate around like some heartsick puppy. Maybe he could help her out with that he wondered.

Gabriel got back at Dan Humphrey later that night for the misplaced remark. Vanya, Gabriel, and several of the other bachelors started to do vodka shots with a vigor that most Americans never see. Since Dan's girlfriend Vanessa was away Gabriel strong-armed him into joining them. Amidst several bottles, boisterous cheers, and many Russian drinking songs they drank Dan under the table, literally.

* * *

The next day as Dan and Eric walked to the limo for their ride to the wedding; Dan rubbed his temples and prayed for the Aspirin to take effect faster.

"So uh, any luck with that Elliot guy?"

"No he never showed up.

"Well, hey maybe Vanya will have a cute, gay cousin or something." At that moment his entire digestive track tried to heave in both directions at once. "Uggh, remind me never to try to set you up again."

"What are you talking about?" Eric asked curiously.

Holding his head now, "Ow, nothing. Nothing. Just speak in soft tones please."

* * *

Gabriel stood by as the ceremony went on. Vanya was making his speech, the last of the questions about his beloved. What did he love most about Dorota? After this they would enter the chapel and the ceremony would really begin.

"Oh, that is a tough question. There are so many things I love about Dorota. But the thing I love most about her is the way I feel with her."

Blair's face tightened up as the pain and sadness welled inside of her. Gabriel felt the first pangs of guilt that he had felt in a long time. _'No,' _he steeled himself_ 'if I hadn't taken advantage of this situation someone else would have.'_ It was the same reasoning that so many other tyrants and merchants of death took to rationalize their own deeds. Why should he be any different?

"She makes me want to be the best possible version of myself. I have peace in my heart knowing that I will be the best possible version of myself. Knowing that I will be good husband. Good Father. I will die proud Russian man. Very much in love."

The assembled crowd "Awwed," and clapped at the lovely sentiments but Blair stared across at Chuck and looked positively crestfallen.

"Now you may officially greet your bride" Cyrus announced. The two kissed and then Cyrus proclaimed "And now it's time to get MARRIED!" with many cheers following after. "So will the happy couple that will be escorting Dorota and Vanya into the chapel please step forward."

Blair hesitated, fighting the tears.

Dorota reached out a hand to Blair. "Miss Blair, are you…?"

"I can't do this," her voice breaking with the words. "I can't keep pretending and I can't lie to you, Chuck and I aren't happy." Shocked whispers echoed the room. "Not at all. And if we walk you in your marriage will be jinxed."

Dorota looked at her with shock and sadness for her friend.

"I- I'm sorry. I just- I can't," and Blair fled the room.

A public spectacle to the loss of his one true love. _'Oh yeah, he's perfectly primed now,'_ Gabriel thought. He would make his proposal tomorrow afternoon. Late enough for Chuck to sleep off what was sure to be a night spent burying his sorrows in bottle and some random piece of tail.

* * *

Thankfully, Dorota was able to mend things with Blair and the wedding proceeded. Gabriel was glad things were able to continue and that despite the hiccup, the wedding turned out to be a very happy one.

Blair, had done her part and Gabriel had not needed to intercede to ensure Chuck was in the proper state of mind tomorrow. The crowd began to mill about for cocktails as caterers prepared the dinner service.

Content with himself, Gabriel started to relax. He went up to Vanya to pay respects and wish congratulations to the happy couple.

"To the new Mr. and Mrs. Vanya Belikov. May you know nothing but happiness for the rest of your days." Gabriel said and handed over a bank sealed envelope with $5,000. "You are a good man, and a good friend. I am sure you will be an even better husband and father." Gabriel greatly emphasized the word _friend_ more than intending to, as he shook Vanya's hand. Gabriel had called Vanya friend in the past, mostly in the company of others, to cover the true nature of their common bond. But now, he meant it. It was the first time in longer than he could remember that he said the word 'Friend' and did so with real emotion behind it.

Vanya was overwhelmed by the gift and the sentiment, then he surprised Gabriel by scooping him up into a huge bear hug. They both laughed heartily when Vanya finally released him and then he said to his new wife. "Darling, this is the man I was telling I owe so much to. This is Vasily, I mean Gabriel."

Dorota now looked at him with new eyes and recognition. She looked like she was now viewing some larger than life person and brought him in for heartfelt hug, kissing both of his cheeks. "Thank you," She whispered to him. "Thank you for acting as fate's hand and bringing my Vanya to me"

And for the second time and a very short period, Gabriel was at a loss for words. After several false starts, all he was able to get out was a simple "You're welcome," before he excused himself from the line of well-wishers.

"Who was that?" Eric asked Jenny as he tried to take his mind off Elliot showing up with a girlfriend.

"I don't really know, but Vanya and Dorota sure seem to like him. I think he was part of that group that got Dan falling over drunk last night," she laughed remembering how bad off her brother had been the previous night.

"Well I'm going to go give my congratulations to Vanya and Dorota," Said Eric.

"Alright I'll be along in a minute." Jenny was still mulling over how to tell Nate that she had seen Serena in the lobby leaving with Carter Basin. She wasn't even sure if she should.

"You look troubled, everything alright?" said Gabriel.

"What? Oh, I'm just thinking about something is all," mumbled Jenny. She had been surprised by how he had just suddenly appeared next to her. Hadn't that guy just been across the room a second ago?

"Well, let me take a crack at it. Take this drink and talk with me for a little bit and I promise pretty boy over there," nodding his head in Nate's direction, "will be jealous and over here to whisk you onto the dance floor in less than 5 minutes." He paused briefly and then added, "And if I'm wrong I'll go swipe you and under-aged friend a bottle from behind the bar."

"Ooo-kay," she said a little skeptical and took the drink.

"Thanks I owe you one." He said with a smile.

She looked at him puzzled, sipping her cocktail. "I don't understand."

"You're Jenny Humphrey, Dan's little sister, right?"

"Yeah,"

"Well I figure that if I spend the my time talking to pretty girls all night then your brother will not mistakenly think I'm gay and try to set me up with your step-brother again."

"Oh my god," she giggled. "That's why you guys got him so drunk last night! That's hilarious!" She tossed her hair and smiled even more broadly. Gabriel couldn't tell if he was feeling the effects of alcohol prematurely, the satisfaction of a plan coming to fruition, or what, but she looked simply radiant to him in that moment. It felt good just to see her happy.

"I'm really sorry, my brother can be a bit of an idiot."

"No worries. I think he pretty well established that fact," switching suddenly to an extremely deep voice with a very heavy Russian accent, "by trying to go drink for drink with Russians." Gabriel said with a grin.

She laughed, then mentioned, "That's so strange you, have like no accent at all."

"I work at it. Now what exactly are you going to tell young Prince charming when he gets over here?"

The troubled expression came back to her face again. "I'm not really sure. See, I saw his girlfriend leave with this other guy and I'm not really sure I should tell him. I mean, I like him but…" she trailed and off and her cheeks reddened a little with embarrassment and she played with her hands unconsciously.

Gabriel found it adorable. "No, it makes sense. Burn her in effigy and you get her Bo. I get it. Who exactly did she leave with?" said Gabriel taking another sip.

"I don't think you'd know him, his name is Carter Basin. They used to have a thing but now she's dating Nate and Carter's trying to work his way back in with her."

The fact that he was now so interconnected with this group of people was beginning to astound even him. _'What the heck,'_ he thought . _'Letting her know some of the truth couldn't hurt.' _ He had already eyed Chuck Bass departing for the night with a bottle of Champagne and the leggy blonde from the previous evening's festivities. There was nothing more for him to do till tomorrow afternoon. _'In fact,'_ he thought as Nate Archibald began to move across the room to them '_this could be exactly the opportunity that I've been looking for.'_

"I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say that pretty boy's girlfriend is Serena Van Der Woodsen. Would that be accurate?" His charming smile was now replaced with a more steely expression.

"Yeah, how'd you know?"

"We may want to include your friend over there in this."

As if on cue Nate came over "Pardon me, I just need to steal Jenny for a quick sec. Um hey have you seen Serna? She missed the whole ceremony."

Jenny looked down at her feet and bit her lip a little trying to prepare the words.

"Hey what's the matter?" Nate questioned.

"Umm, I didn't want to have to be the one to tell you this, but, uhh… Serena left with Carter, and uh," turning to Gabriel and pausing as she realized she did not know his name.

"Gabriel Petrovich, how do you do?" extending his had to Nate.

"Nate Archibald," he offered. Even to Nate's rugby game seasoned hands he was surprised by the strength of the young man's grip. It was like an iron vice. To look at his build in the suit, the great strength was very unexpected.

"Right, Gabriel, thinks he might know something."

"That's correct. Jenny was telling me what had happened and I'm frankly kind of amazed by the coincidence here. You see, I work as a private security consultant and contractor. I do many things from investigations to onsite reviews and such. Last summer I was subcontracted to find someone by a major domestic P.I. firm. The client was Carter Basin." He paused to let the information sink. He had their full attention. "And the subject was one Dr. William Van Der Woodsen."

Nate and Jenny exchanged a look. "Serena's Father?" she asked.

"Serena did say Carter was helping her find her father," Nate said.

"Well, he definitely didn't want to be found, but I had him located and photographed inside of a week. Would have been faster if they'd been paying me more. Then, the weird thing is, they had me keep tabs on him all summer as he moved around. Once I knew his initial location it was easy. I could just track his finances from back here in New York. But, I noticed this Basin guy kept having the updates sent to him in locations that the Dr. had just been to. It didn't take too much to put two and two together once I saw a few of the Euro photo rags. He and Dr. Van Der Woodsen's daughter Serena were trailing him and making a scene the whole time, but Basin was intentionally staying one step behind. Carter knew the entire summer. Heck, he has known that man's general location for the better part of year at this point."

Nate was taking it all in, shock and anger played out across his face.

"I knew it, Basin that rat! He was using the whole thing to get to her."

Gabriel had planned something similar to this to take place in order to gain the confidence of Nate Archibald so he could get the information required to enact the second part of his plan when his business with Chuck and Jack Bass was concluded. But seizing the moment that fate had offered up, the young Archibald saw him in exactly the light he needed him to. Revealing the legitimate side of his business dealings would later help him be able to make the inroads he needed in order to become a trusted confidant to the Vanderbilt family.

"Thank you for telling me all this. I gotta find my phone and see if I can still stop Serena from taking off with that creep." Nate stormed off in a fury.

"Wow, that was a lot more than I was expecting," said a stunned Jenny.

"Yeah, people aren't too bright when they get all mad like that. Isn't that his phone right there sitting by his name card?" Gabriel said pointing to the table they were standing at. "Just make sure he doesn't find it before she leaves on her flight. Once she's airborne, he won't be able to call her and he'll be ticked at her for running away even if Carter is a scumbag." He finished his drink.

"Thanks," Jenny said, surprised by the sudden appearance of a mischievous streak in him. She was impressed by him. He spoke with such confidence, kind of like Chuck did, but without the air of entitlement. She wanted to ask him why he was helping her so much, but as she stared into his dark hazel eyes and saw the way he was looking at her, she blushed instead.

"Sure thing," Gabriel said finishing his drink. "Just save me a dance later if things don't pan out completely with your Prince." He said with smile and a wink. "If either of you need to get a hold of me for proof on this information here's my card. Good luck" he said with a smile in the direction of an exasperated looking Nate.

Jenny was able to intercept Serena's call to Nate before her flight and didn't pass the message to him. She then did just as Gabriel suggested and kept the phone hidden from him for the next half hour till she was safely airborne and unreachable. She and Nate danced the rest of the night away.

Gabriel found his way back to the bar and had another drink satisfied yet another step in his plan was complete. Before he left the festivities he slipped Nate a copy of his card as well, then departed quietly. Tomorrow would be a big day.

* * *

As the night wound down, everyone began to go home. Nate had left Jenny on the dance floor while he went to go fetch their coats. Then an over-joyous and heavily inebriated Vanya came over to Jenny and hugged her.

"I am so happy, it so good that you and Vasily, *hic* I mean Gabriel told you. I was worried about keeping it secret."

"What?" Jenny said surprised, but suddenly more awake as she tried to decipher what the happy, drunk newlywed was talking about.

"Gabriel, I saw him speaking with you and Mr. Nate tonight. I'm glad he tell you."

"Oh about the thing with Carter, you knew about that too?"

"Carter? Who is Carter? I talking about the Fashion show night. He save you at club and take you home in cab. Haha, Carter, what is this silliness?"

"Vanya I've never seen Gabriel before last night. What do mean?"

"It ok, It ok. You were sleepy that night. He told me all about it last night. He punch guy trying to feel you up, break his face. Then get you home safe. I was at door that night. That vas first time I see him in 6 years. Not something I think I ever forget. Thought he there to kill me. But it OK now, I married. WOOOHOOO!" Vanya then drunkenly made his way back to his new wife for many wet kisses and a final dance.

That's the problem with a secret. The moment more than one person knows it; it's not a secret anymore.

Nate showed back up with their coats. "Come on, I want a rematch on Wii tennis from last time. You're going down Humphrey," Nate said flashing her a dazzling smile.

She wasn't quite sure what Vanya had meant with all he said but as she lost herself in Nate's perfect face, she didn't really care much at the time. She could figure it all out and ask Nate about it in the morning couldn't she? This might just be her lucky night after all.

_

* * *

Author's Note: Normal dialogue that isn't directly moving the plot forward is really hard for me to write, to this chapter was an excellent exercise for me in that but also really trying. I promise Chuck and Gabriel's meeting will be the next chapter and that before this epic is over I will reveal what the heck actually happened between Vanya and Gabriel._

_The other big challenge has been to develop characters and a story line making changes that are interesting for the reader but minute enough to still allow the characters to progress generally along the same paths they did in the actual series. I've never fleshed out a FanFiction idea like this before and the whole writing experience has been a great distraction for me as I am stuck at a several week training session for work with little else to occupy my time._


	4. Chapter 4

From Russia with Love Ch. 4

DISCLAIMER: I own nothing of Gossip Girl. In fact, for much of the opening of this chapter is lifted directly from the dialogue of the episode itself. I did so in order to better help set the stage for the reader for the latter part of the chapter. The character of Gabriel being the solely original piece in this work of fiction

-This chapter covers the events of "Dr. Estrangeloved" (3x19)

* * *

Gabriel had awoken early, and it seemed his subject had never gone to sleep. He sipped a coffee two blocks away and listened to the bug he had placed in the Empire penthouse the previous night after leaving the wedding.

Chuck and two less than reputable looking, but no less beautiful young women entered the penthouse from the elevator. "There is an outlet by the bed and I will be in, in a minute." He said sending them on the way to his bedroom to prepare.

"You look like hell," Jenny observed as she tidied the area around the couch; absent mindedly playing with Nate's favorite blue shirt.

"A small price to pay, to feel like heaven," responded a heavily inebriated Chuck Bass. "Where is Archibald? Don't tell me. You two finally closed the deal?" he asked with a sly, tight smile.

"I have no idea what you're talking about Chuck."

"Oh please, you've been panting at his loafers ever since Serena went M.I.A. with Carter."

'_My god, first Gabriel now Chuck,_' she thought. She felt stupid and embarrassed that her emotions lay out so bare for the world to see. And yet, Nate still couldn't seem to see any of them. She crossed her arms and looked away as Chuck continued.

"Late night… you two, engaged in a sweaty Wii duel," he said picking up the game controller. "Your bodies touch and he looks at you like he's never looked at you before," as he reached out and stroked her cheek in a far too familiar way.

"Oh you're an ass Chuck!" Jenny replied disgusted pulling away from him. "Besides Serena is back." She started to put on her coat and leave, accepting her defeat.

"Oh well maybe now you'll actually have a chance. But don't worry, the odds of me remembering this conversation are slim," he added drunkenly.

"Wait, what do you mean I'll stand a chance now?"

"Well Archibald's never gonna cross the line; he's a good guy. He will cling to Serena's golden locks until she pushes him away."

"Yeah, but why would she do that? He's been totally patient and understanding," Jenny added

"You and I know that, but if she were to think that Nate had in fact betrayed her, she would drive him into your waiting arms."

"Why are you telling me all of this?" questioned Jenny, skeptical of this newfound ally.

"Because, I want my friend back. This will be easier, with Serena out of the picture. Now all you need is something to make her suspicious." He and Nate were still on outs after Nate learned of the full level of Chuck's involvement in getting back the Empire hotel in exchange for Blair.

He had to admire Chuck's mind as it schemed to help Jenny break up his best friend's relationship all to meet his own ends. Not many could operate at those levels when they were as drunk as Chuck clearly was. Gabriel moved closer to the hotel and listened as Chuck and his two ladies of the night finished their morning romp. He would wait till they had been sent away and then slip in.

As he heard them leave the room in the elevator, Gabriel slipped into a rear entrance to the hotel and prepared certain measures for his meeting then proceeded unseen up the seldom used stairs that existed only to appease the building's fire code and opened the door to the penthouse silently with a key he had copied many weeks ago. Chuck was in the shower washing away the morning's exertions. The remote in his gloved hand would disable the running of the elevator to the penthouse and assure them privacy. He could hear that Chuck was now busying himself in the kitchen with a cup of coffee and a morning paper, completely unaware anyone else was present in his home. Chuck's phone rang, and he picked up to speak with Jenny Humphrey who was downstairs in the lobby.

Several weeks ago, when he began his close surveillance of the youngest member of the Bass clan, he had stolen Chuck's phone and cloned the SIM card, then returned it before he had ever known it was missing. Gabriel had been receiving all his calls for some time now. He listened though his ear piece as Jenny relayed to him the conversation with Serena downstairs, the doubt raised by Serena finding Nate's shirt hanging out of her bag, and the argument she had secretly observed between Nate and Serena.

"So what's step 2?" she asked.

"Get him drunk, take advantage of him. Do women just not get this?" Chuck postulated.

"Chuck, he's not going to go drinking with me. He made me call my dad when I slept over," she quickly retorted.

"Be here six o'clock sharp and look like someone who doesn't even have a father," He responded, hanging up.

Gabriel was about to engage the stop on the elevator when the doors opened with a ding, announcing the arrival of a frantic Blair Waldorf.

'_You can't possibly be serious?'_ he thought and questioned what higher being was clearly toying with him and his well laid plans.

"You twisted manipulative psychopath! How could you?" Blair was furious.

"You're going to have to be a tad more specific, it's been a busy few days," he responded coolly.

"My party," she said with poorly veiled distaste.

"Yes. I heard about your little rebound reception. Good for you though, you're moving on."

"So you're going to just stand there and pretend that you had nothing to do with the fact that no one showed up. That you didn't put a dating Fatwa on me. We're over Chuck. Unclench!" Blair chided.

"To set the record straight, I didn't put a Fatwa on you. The reason that no one showed up today is because no one could measure up to what we had," he added with new seriousness. "And I'm obviously not the only guy who knows that."

"Fine, if you won't move on, I will. There are plenty of guys outside the Upper East Side, and by this time tomorrow, everyone in the Five Burroughs will know that Chuck Bass's threats mean nothing," she said defiantly as Chuck glared across at her. Blair turned on her heel and sped out of the penthouse. With her back turned to him, she could not see the pained expression on his face as he watched her leave, the barbs of her words still stinging. Gabriel engaged the device he had installed on the elevator's control downstairs, ensuring that no one would be allowed to interrupt them now.

Chuck was about to distract his lonely heart with the morning's business headlines but was sent into a rarely seen state of shock as an unexpected voice reverberated across the main living area of his exclusive home.

"Hmm, the Five Burroughs. Seems she's casting her net far and wide. I would have thought she'd at least show the good taste to stick to Manhattan." Gabriel spoke nonchalantly, his outwardly cool demeanor in stark contrast to how he felt as he calmed his frazzled inner nerves from Blair's sudden arrival.

"Who are you? What do you think you're doing here?" Chuck eyed the stranger and nervously backed up to the counter already starting to reach for the phone to request the hotel's security.

"That won't work. I've made sure that we won't be interrupted. Please, do take a seat. I promise I'll be brief. I'm only here to make a business proposition." Gabriel took a seat in a chair in the living room and removed a pair of files from a leather attaché case.

Chuck listened to the empty air over the phone line. It was completely dead. His eyes leapt to the elevator door. Without ever looking up from the papers he was arranging on the table, Gabriel said "Don't even think about, it's disabled and stairwell door is secured." Chuck stared back at the man before him, every hair on his body standing on end. "Please," Gabriel gestured to the seat on the couch across from him. Chuck warily stepped over and sat down. Though they had both been at the same social events the past two days, Chuck could not recall having ever seen the man before. Chuck had been so focused on getting back Blair, he hadn't noticed much of anything or anyone at either of them. Even if he hadn't been so focused on Blair, he probably wouldn't have noticed the non-descript young man anyway. He was Chuck Bass: he didn't pay notice to people that were beneath him; they noticed him.

"There, that's better now. My, my, that Blair certainly is a pistol isn't she? Well, I suppose, that fire in her step will certainly make for some lucky guy's exciting evening," Gabriel alluded with a smug expression.

"What exactly is it that you want?" Chuck responded angrily, trying to reassert control of the situation.

"You've had a tumultuous past few weeks Chucky boy," Gabriel said illicitly, trying to raise his subject's ire. "You find out your mother is suddenly back from dead, so to speak, on the anniversary of your late father's death." Gabriel drove his point home by opening the first of the folders and revealing surveillance photographs of Elizabeth Fisher and him together on the street. He turned over more photos as he continued to summarize the events of the last few weeks. "Then your dastardly Uncle contrives a series of sexual harassment law suits, leaks the story and your attempts of a cover up to the press. Your family lawyer, who is in league with Jack, advises you transfer official control your hotel in order to save it from a PR nightmare and utter distruction," pausing to let the picture of his lawyer, Doug Jarred, and Jack Bass having a dinner meeting together, sink in. "You could transfer it to a family member though and retain the confidence of the public, preserving your hotel's survival. Jack, not being much of an option; you choose to trust in your newly discovered mother." Turning the next photograph to reveal Elizabeth Fisher and Jack Bass in a lover's embrace walking in park in Zurich, Switzerland. "Your mother, who is also, unfortunately allied with Jack Bass as well."

"That woman is not my mother!" he spat back vehemently.

"Believe what you want to," Gabriel continued. "So, your lawyer doctors the paper work and as soon as you sign over operations of the Empire to her, Ms. Fisher hands it right over to Jack. He publicly humiliates you, tosses her aside, and begins selling off various items in the hotel before threatening to shutter it entirely unless you give him your last and truly precious possession." Gabriel's expression was neutral, his voice calm. He needed Chuck's emotions up, he need his anger to force him into a rash decision. Staring across the table, the normally cool and collected Chuck Bass was positively livid as Gabriel said her name, "Blair."

Gabriel revealed the final photo in the file, the tearful confrontation in the lobby of Blair's building as Chuck admitted to his betrayal. "And worst of all, he used your complicit, guiding hand to do it." Chuck's eyes locked on the image and revealed an inner battle of the rage and sorrow overflowing from the depths of his soul in that moment. His fury at the memories his uncle's deeds was only matched by the sorrow and pain from his heart, at the memory of his all too recent loss. "Did I miss anything?" Gabriel added finally to snap his subject from his self torture.

"Yes," he seethed. "You forgot the part where some asshole broke into my home and then got arrested, and saw the full force of New York City Police brutality. Now, if you're quite finished parading my follies and failures in front me; tell me what the hell it is that you want or get out."

"I'm here to offer you what you know you want but can't seem to do yourself. I'm offering you a level of satisfaction beyond instituting some juvenile dating ban on your ex or a morning threesome with a pair of hookers. I'm offering you revenge." Gabriel let the words hang in the air for a moment, and then opened the second file and Chuck looked down at its contents. "I'm offering a, '_permanent'_ solution to your problems with Jack Bass." The folder held a copy of the last will and testament of one Jack Bass.

Gabriel had played his part well. He held his neutral expression and waited for Chuck's response. He had the young man's anger at a peak and his next response should have been a foregone conclusion, but Chuck was young and though he may have hated Jack, Gabriel was talking about the calculated, cold-blooded murder of one of Chucks few remaining family members. It would give anyone pause, or at least should have.

"I'm listening," Chuck responded in a more even and less heated tone than before as he resumed his normal confident, half-lidded stare at the man across from him.

"Excellent," Gabriel said with only the slightest of smiles. "What I am offering is more than just the death of Jack Bass. No one will ever suspect it was a murder, it will completely look like a death of natural causes."

"Will it be painful," Chuck interrupted with no effort to hide the malice in his voice.

"Yes," Gabriel continued. "He will depart the living by a heart attack. It will be very painful. But what I offer you is more that the simple triumph of his death. I'm offering a revenge that no one in the world can compete with. When the deed is done, all that is his will be yours. I can promise you will be the sole inheritor of his estate." Chuck stared directly into Gabriel's eyes searching for anything that would betray a falsehood to the golden goose's egg that he was presenting to Chuck.

"How? Jack hates me, he would never include me in his will."

"That's correct, he hasn't. That he knows of. You see, when your dear Uncle was courting your mother he needed help in showing the sincerity of his love. One of the ways he did that was by showing her that he had added her to his will as the sole inheritor. While he is no billionaire Bart Bass, your uncle is still a wealthy and powerful man as you know. This represented a sizeable sum and was a gesture of love that was not unnoticed by Ms. Fisher." Gabriel, of course, failed to point out that Jack had taken this step at his advice. "The plan was that as soon as his efforts with the Empire hotel were complete that your family lawyer, Mr. Jarred, would return things back to the status of his original will. I had the law firm's computers hacked and changed the old save file for his original will to read that you would be the new sole inheritor. Mr. Jarred had drawn up that will himself and had reviewed it prior to setting up the new one for Jack. He knew the will was to be short term, but he never checked to see if the file had ever changed, and neither did Jack when he signed the new copy three days ago to remove your mother as sole inheritor."

Chuck was floored. He was trying to process all that Gabriel was telling him and eyed him warily. This was a very capable, very dangerous man sitting across from him. He began skimming the will in front of him. He was silent, hoping to draw out another comment from Gabriel and move into control of the conversation. However, Gabriel was far to patient. His neutral expression betraying nothing, he sat and waited as Chuck read.

"I'm sorry but I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop. What's the string attached to all this? Are you going to ask me for my eternal soul in exchange?" he asked with an incredulous look.

"If I thought you had one or that it might actually be worth something, I'd consider it. Instead, I'm leaning more towards 75% of all Jack Bass's liquid assets. You will retain his investments, holdings within Bass Industries, and worldly possessions. You will pre-sign papers that only a few Swiss bank employees will ever see enacting the transfers upon your assumption of his estate. All indications will be that the funds were transferred to non-profit charity organizations. I can assure you I am very good at what I do and no one will ever be able to fully trace these funds. Jack will be dead, you'll add even more to your considerable wealth, no one will ever be the wiser to your hand in it, and you won't even get taxed for it."

Chuck thought carefully. He knew what he had available as liquid assets and knew that whatever amount Jack had would be no paltry sum, even to a boy billionaire like himself. What he was talking about for his fee had to be around 10 million dollars. It was an awful lot of money just for killing someone. Or least it seemed so, he didn't exactly have a great deal of experience in this particular market.

"Your price seems pretty steep for what you're offering," he countered. "I'm certain I could find someone very competent to do the same job for less than a tenth of what you're asking.

'_Truly his father's son,' _Gabriel thought. Even in the face of danger he was still negotiating. _'Very well time to raise the stakes.'_

"Probably, but it wouldn't be in time and they wouldn't be as good as I am."

"In time?" Chuck questioned, suddenly very alert.

"You see Charles; this offer is only open for limited window of opportunity. And **I**," placing severe emphasis on the 'I,' "alone, control that window. If you choose not to accept my offer I assure you that within the hour that Jack's lawyer will be suddenly made aware of his mistake. Too soon for even the long arm of Chuck Bass to find someone willing to do his dirty work halfway around the world. In the event of his death you miss out on a few hundred million in assets and get nothing." Gabriel gauged the young man across from him. In this high stakes, heads up poker match of death every tell was crucial. Gabriel saw that Chuck was still hesitant.

"It feels rather cliché to say though, that should you decline my offer you force me into the difficult position of having to take my services elsewhere. An offer will be made to Jack Bass and I am very sure he will more than receptive when I tell what YOU were planning to do to him." The threat was clear. Chuck was still Chuck though, and he hated the thought of being cowed into something.

"60%," he responded with renewed confidence.

"I'm sorry did I hear 75?"

"65%, there is no business with negotiation. I want some of that money for undoing the damage that Jack has done to my hotel."

"70%, remember who is holding the aces in this game."

"68%,"

"Done," Gabriel said with a gruff finality.

Chuck stared across the table and appraised the assassin that he had just bought. He was surprisingly young, perhaps not much older than himself. It was very difficult to tell. The man was clearly very capable, the information he had was impeccable, and it took some substantial skill to setup this rather unconventional meeting. Then he realized that he actually liked this man. He was calm, resourceful, collected, and clearly ruthless. Ruthlessness, while dangerous, was also dependable and predictable.

"So, what do I call you?" he asked.

"I should hope you never have to call me anything. If things go as planned then we should never speak again. But should you ever decide you require my unique services again, send an encrypted email to this address and I'll be in touch." The card he handed over was very plain. All it read was 'Alexei' and a generic email address.

His father had been the shrewdest businessman Chuck had ever known but he tried to imagine if even he would have gone to the lengths that his son had just agreed to. Rarely did he act on his emotions when it came to business, but Chuck had just made a pact with the Devil that would rid his world of Jack Bass and ensure he had the funds necessary to rebuild the Empire Hotel and his own business future into what he always thought that it should be.

He returned his attention from his reverie, back to the man seated in front of him. He noticed his confident eyes and relaxed posture. Nothing had changed about him, and yet something had.

"You already know exactly how much that is, don't you?"

"17.2 million dollars as of close of banking yesterday," he replied without missing a beat, collecting the files and depositing them back into his attaché case. "A notary will be by within the hour with the necessary paperwork. It's been a pleasure doing business with you Mr. Bass," Gabriel said as he extended his hand. Chuck accepted; the grip was like iron while face showed nothing but calm, satisfaction.

"I'll see myself out." And with that, he left just as quietly as he had come.

Chuck sat silently for several minutes as he processed what had just happened. He then got up and got dressed for the rest of his day. 40 minutes later, a notary from a Swiss Bank arrived as promised and presented him with a stack of papers which she guided him through signing. Everything read exactly as expected, even the agreed upon 68%. He was finished signing everything in 10 minutes.

He had thought that might feel some guilt or remorse when he was finished. Instead, he was suddenly inspired to wage a battle across New York and take back all that was rightfully his. He would start by getting his friend Nate Archibald back, while he waited for this new arrangement to play out. On the greater front, he would get back Blair. It would take time, but after all, he was Chuck Bass.

*****End Chap 4*****

* * *

Author's note: The rest of the episode pretty much continues as it did in the show. Jenny is still caught just as she is about to kiss Nate and she and Serena are at severe odds. This was a strange Chapter to write because I wanted to use the conversations at the beginning of the episode to set the right tone for stark shift that was thrown at Chuck. Writing down 3 short scenes of dialogue word for word was sadly the best way I think to accomplish that within the framework of the story.


	5. Chapter 5

From Russia with Love Ch. 5

DISCLAIMER: I own nothing of Gossip Girl. The character of Gabriel being the solely original piece in this work of fiction

-This chapter covers the events of "It's a Dad, Dad, Dad, Dad World" (3x20) and "Exhusbands and Wives" (3x21).

A/N: I use VDW to shorten the typing of Van Der Woodsen in the email/txt messages during this chapter because no one in their right mind is going to completely text out Van Der Woodsen. It's hard enough to type on a keyboard.

*WARNING* This chapter has some stronger language and deals with some more mature themes, namely murder. Kind of pushing the boundaries of the Teen rating, but I'm rolling with it.

* * *

Jacque Dupuis, a businessman with dual French-American citizenship settled into his business class seat for the 14 hour flight to Sydney, Australia. He was a light haired, middle aged man, who still retained some boyish good looks underneath his thick goatee but had a slightly paunch belly. He was also a diabetic and carried the necessary insulin and testing supplies with him even on board a flight. A woman came up the aisle as the plane boarded and took the seat next to him and they exchanged the standard pleasantries for two strangers that were about to spend the foreseeable future in close proximity with little else to occupy themselves than books and conversation. Gabriel could have simply slipped on some headphones as the flight left, but he always found it an engaging mental exercise to throw himself into an identity. For this woman he would be a pharmaceutical marketing rep. Whether any of it were true was irrelevant, he need only offer trivial bits of information while constantly inquiring into her past. It was one of the hallmarks of the spy craft he had been taught at the Institution. Give your subject pieces of information that were essentially general and useless but still made you seem endearing while letting them blabber on about themselves, guiding them subtly along the way, until they were telling you their darkest secrets even as they commented aloud that they didn't know why they were telling you this. Before long he had found out that Mrs. Emily Jones of Los Angeles was a PR director, had a condo in Aspen where she, her husband of 12 years, and two young children went skiing in the winters, and was on her way to a business trip that would allow her to continue her affair with a hunky Australian cameraman she had met in L.A. a few weeks earlier. Inside of two hours, and revealing very little about himself, in the process, he had her revealing her own infidelities and dark hidden secrets. When he felt he had fished out all the information that was worthwhile he feigned the need for sleep and closed his eyes to think and prepare for his arrival in Sydney and the final meeting with Jack Bass that would follow.

Upon landing in Australia he proceeded through customs with ease. He found it comical that he had been able to carry a murder weapon with him the entire flight through all the heightened security measures under the medical pretense of diabetic testing supplies. Even under X-ray it was difficult to notice that the spring loaded needle meant to prick the fingertip to draw blood was about 5 times larger than normal for a blood glucose meter. It also had a small non-descript capsule attached to the needle. The capsule was one of 5 he had been given as a parting gift from the SVR when he had been forced to leave Russia 4 years earlier. He had already used two them, this would be the third. There was no going back, there would be no replacing them. He was disavowed and that was the end of things.

* * *

Jenny walked into the 'Doctors Without Borders' Gala at Columbia University and began searching the faces in the crowd for her dad. She had wanted to skip this whole thing and lay low for the night, but at Dan's urging she had chosen to come and find her father to tell him herself what she and Damien had really been up to during their relationship. It was only a matter of time until her dad found out her drug dealing past now that it was all over Gossip Girl, and she knew she needed to tell him herself or he would go nuclear. He would still be angry with her even when she told him but she hoped that perhaps it would just be a controlled blast. She tried to suppress her nerves as she searched the crowd. She couldn't find her dad anywhere, but after a short time her eyes settled on Nate Archibald, and no Serena in sight. She and Nate hadn't spoken since Serena had walked in on her trying to kiss him a few nights ago. She and Serena had been fighting nonstop since but she had never been able to talk to Nate.

She walked slowly over to him, biting her lower lip unconsciously and searching inside herself for the strength she would need. It seem tonight would be one of confrontation.

"Hey," she said.

"Hey," he responded solemnly back. Their monosyllabic conversation was more emotionally loaded than either wanted to recognize but Jenny wanted an answer.

"Look, I'm sorry I put you and Serena through all that. I was wrong. I understand if you don't want to speak to me but I needed to ask you about something." She hesitated trying to gauge his reaction to where things might lead.

"OK," his face wasn't betraying much.

He wasn't able to forgive her outright at the moment, but he wasn't condemning her either. 'For now, that's good enough,' she thought. "The night of Eleanor's Fashion show was kind of crazy; I really can't remember much. I know you were there to talk to me afterwards, and I can't thank you enough for that. I was in a really bad place and you got me through that."

Nate sighed. He wasn't sure quite where this was going, but Jenny seemed sincere enough. "Jenny, I'm your friend, and I was there for you when you needed help. Don't read too much into it though. We're friends, and I'll be there for you again if you need help, just like I was then."

"That's kind of what I wanted to ask you about. Vanya said something to me on the night of his and Dorota's wedding, and I haven't really been able to ask you about it. You were the one that took me out of the club that night right?" Her eyes pleaded for him to tell her it was nothing but Vanya's drunk mumblings. More than that she needed to know the truth.

"Jenny you seemed so scared that night I… well, I didn't want to worry you any further."

"What do you mean?"

"When I went to the club that night all I found was your purse, you had already gotten out of there. There was a dude beaten up on the ground, I guess he had been trying to take you home with him. I called your phone then and again later and it showed your location as being back at your building. I really don't know how you got home."

"You told me you took me out of there that night. You lied to me?"

"I didn't want you more worried about something that was already out of your hands. You were safe. That's what mattered." Nate stated sincerely.

Jenny looked away from Nate's perfect face, unable to look him in the eye as Vanya's words resonated in her mind with new meaning.

"So what exactly did Vanya say happened?" Nate inquired.

Before she could answer Jenny could somehow feel the icy daggers being stared at her from across the large hall. Serena had just finished a heart to heart with her father and now found her boyfriend speaking with Jenny Humphrey of all people. "I should go. Thank you though… for everything." She moved off quickly to steer clear of Serena's wrath.

Gabriel had been the one at the club that night. It didn't make sense, he hadn't said a word of it to her at the party or the wedding. But clearly he had known her before; he had even gotten her home and snuck her up to her room with Vanya's help it seemed. She remembered the soothing voice in the cab that took her home, the calming touch on her arm as she rested her pounding head. The rest was all just a blur. All this time, she had thought it had been Nate, but now with this confession her world had shifted in an unexpected direction. Gabriel had seemed nice enough at the wedding, and he had saved her when she was in real trouble. But he had gone to great lengths to not have anyone know about it. _'What did all that mean?_' she thought. About this time she saw her father speaking with Lily, reconciling their differences over Dr. Van Der Woodsen's attempt to move into the building.

She took a deep breath, well, one hurdle at a time.

* * *

Jack Bass maintained two homes in Sydney, one downtown during the week where he could be close to Bass Enterprises for work and a weekend home in a more rural setting where he could enjoy the lush beauty of Australia. Tonight he was at his rural home relaxing. He liked the privacy. It was nice to finally be rid of the security detail that had been following him while he was in New York. He didn't think Chuck had the brass ones necessary to try anything against him but one could never be too careful when dealing with people that thought they had lost everything. He had already sent his evening's entertainment home after their bedroom frolic was done. He was relaxing with a glass of Scotch looking out at the dark night sky on his porch when he heard a voice from the shadows pierce the silence.

"Good evening Jack," Gabriel said solemnly, stepping out of the shadows.

Jack Bass started so sharply he almost knocked over the table his drink was sitting on.

"Goddamn it Alexei! You almost gave a fucking heart attack!"

"No, not yet I haven't," he said in a hushed voice. He never broke his stride or took his eyes off of Jack.

"Well, pull up a seat and tell me what you have for me. I assume that's why you're here?" Jack settled back in his chair as Gabriel walked toward him, a small black device in his hand. Jack was leaned back in his chair now and relaxed, his chest unknowingly exposed.

The heightened state of his heart rate from the start that Gabriel gave him would actually help the drug do its work all the faster. He reached out with the device, itself not much larger than his hand, and pressed the flat end against Jack's chest. Before he could utter a word, Gabriel pressed the button on the side with his thumb, releasing the long, spring loaded needle. He had practiced the movement hundreds of times to ensure the placement over the heart was right and the needle wouldn't catch on any ribs and be bent or broken. He had a backup in case, but rearming the device with a new needle would take time and force a struggle. He wanted no marks on the body. The needle entered smoothly and he felt no resistance. Just as quickly, he hit a second button that compressed the cylinder on the end of the needle, injecting the serum into Jack's heart. As though the whole process had been one smooth movement, Gabriel brought the device back and took his seat across from Jack.

"OOOWW! What the Fuck are you doing? You miserable little prick! I…" his tirade stopped before it reached full steam and his hand moved to his chest. He felt a sudden tightness in his chest.

"Works fast doesn't? The serum works best with a direct shot to the heart, but most anywhere on the body will do. I'm told the experience is quite painful, like the weight of the world crushing down on your chest. It took the KGB doctors years to find the right mixture that would be potent enough to be effective but still metabolize quickly enough to leave no trace in the body," Gabriel said calmly.

"Why are you doing this? What-GAAHH!" he cried out and clutched at the pain in his chest, spreading to his upper left arm now. He fell out of the chair and struggled on the ground. It felt like a car was sitting on his chest. He tried to breathe but just couldn't seem to get enough air.

"I normally don't speak to my prey unless I need information, but I'm making a special exception in your case. I can't stand your kind. You have enough power and money to make Solomon blush, but it's not enough for you. You look down on people like ants to be crushed for your amusement. You think you're entitled to everything, that people exist for you to use them for your own ends. That's why I'm actually taking some pleasure in using you for mine."

The look of shock in Jack's eyes cut through the pain and agony on his wrenched face.

"That's right; I used you from the beginning. Your death will now make me a VERY wealthy man and set me up to later become richer than even you or your late brother."

He laid out a bottle on the table that he had pilfered from the bathroom inside Jack's home. It would lead the investigators to believe that the heart attack had occurred while he was self medicating. He had already removed several of the pills. The pills that Jack had been taking already for several months for an allergy medication had many listed cardiac side effects. It was why he had chosen this method for the eliminating Jack Bass. The pills would be listed in the coroner's report as the primary cause of death. Gabriel sat and waited until he heard the last gasp escape Jack Bass's lips; he was a professional and did not leave things to chance. When the silence had hung in the air for a full minute, he walked over to the body, felt for a pulse for another minute. There was none. He stood up and left the secluded property as silently and as unseen as he had arrived.

* * *

Jenny sat on her bed mulling over everything that had happened at the Gala. William Van Der Woodsen had made a very public pass at her Step-Mom Lily and Rufus had overheard a confrontation with one of her old clients who was less than satisfied with her product. She had been banished back to Brooklyn and honestly thought it was all for the best. She was done with the Upper East Side and all its scheming and lies. Despite her desire to leave it all behind though, she was inextricably linked to it through her family. She may have been ready to walk away and return to things as they once were, but they weren't. Was she willing to leave her loved ones behind to weather the social storms and backstabbing nature of that world on their own?

She mulled over the question as something Chuck had said earlier that night made her thoughts shift and she pulled her laptop out onto the bed. Lily was supposed to be in relapse from her cancer and undergoing treatments but she looked fine. Chuck had said she was 'the picture of health.' The treatments were supposed to be very taxing on her body and weaken her. The treatments, according to what she was finding on the internet were also supposed to be very painful. OxyCodone was a drug used to fight that pain, and had good street value; that's why she had taken it. Why was Lily taking antibiotics from a bottle that was supposed to be high-end pain killers?

She dialed Chuck's phone from her cell and started to explain to him what she was thinking. "Hey, I want to talk to you about Lily. I mean, obviously I'm not a doctor and it's kind of a long story of how I know this, but there's something weird about her medicine."

Chuck agreed to have his some of his people look into it. Not one to sit idle though, Jenny played with a business card that had been sitting on her desk. It seemed now she had people too. She wanted more information about this guy '_Gabriel Petrovich – Security Consultant'_ though. She just didn't know what to make of him. He said he was an investigator, and she wanted to know more about what was up with Lily's meds. Maybe this could be a route to find out some information about him and Lily's situation at the same time. She punched in his number and began to tap out a text.

Jenny H. says: _Hey this is Jenny Humphrey, we met Vanya's wedding. Sry about the l8 hour, but I've got some questions about some pills my step-mom is taking. Can U help me find some info?_

On the other side of the world Gabriel stared down from his lunch menu as his phone chirped. The text was unexpected but for some reason it made him smile as he read it. So used to keeping his emotions in check, the reaction puzzled him.

Gabriel P. says: _Good 2 hear from U. What exactly do you need to know?_

Jenny was surprised by the fast response given how late at night it was. She hadn't expected him to come out and correct her about their first meeting or anything, but she was definitely still curious.

Jenny H. says: I need to find out was prescribed to her and by whom. Her doctor is William VDW. That made me think you could help.

Gabriel mulled over a response as he stared at his cell phone. He had just become a very rich man, a little charity work couldn't hurt could it? Besides, he liked the little blonde minx. She stirred something in him he couldn't quite put his finger on. That fact made him both excited and wary all at once.

Gabriel P. says: _Send me what you have to my work email. I'm out of the country on business right now, but I'll be back shortly. I'll work up what I can._

Jenny sent on what she had, which wasn't very much sadly. Gabriel looked it over after his lunch when he had returned to his hotel room. Looking over the email he let his mind drift back to events on the other side of the world. He wondered if Chuck had found the little present Gabriel had left for him before his departure. Gabriel thought he owed Chuck Bass at least this one token gift to help set him on the right path after the hand that he had played in the young man's misfortune.

* * *

Chuck had started placing calls early the next morning, first to track down the pill popper that had confronted Jenny at the Columbia gala and get the bottle back. Then onto his personal pharmacist to begin work figuring out what the pills had been. He decided to take a break and throw some news on the TV, but when he turned it on, he saw his DVD player was already cued up. The image before him was the DVD menu for the movie "An Affair to Remember." Chuck didn't own the movie, nor had he put it in the player. He walked over to the player and popped out the disc. He would ask Nate later if he knew where the disc had come from, but he was already fairly certain he knew already. He walked from room to room in the penthouse searching for anyone or anything that could be out of place. No one was there and everything was as it should be.

The message was clear enough to him, but Chuck didn't want to play this card unless he had exhausted all options. The disc was almost assuredly left by Alexei as he had left to go shuffle Jack off this mortal coil. The man seemed to have a thing for ultimatums. Chuck wasn't sure he needed to resort to quite those lengths though. He would hold it though, as the last arrow in his quiver. It was then that the phone rang.

"Is this Mr. Charles Bass?"

"Speaking."

"Sir, I'm Sergeant Mike Callahan, of the New South Wales Police Force, in Australia. I'm sorry to be the one to break this news to you but your uncle passed away the night before last. It took us a while to track you down as the next of kin. Took forever with the embassy and all. The people at Bass Enterprises have already been alerted. I'm very sorry for your loss sir."

"Yes, this comes as quite a shock," he feigned. "Is there anything more you can tell me?"

"Well, we're still waiting for the medical examiner's report but the maid found him outside on his porch this morning. He had a bottle of allergy medication that our med-techs say has some associated cardiac side effects. We think he may have over medicated on them, or just been unlucky. We won't really know until the report. Your family lawyer has already been in contact with us and says he will manage the estate affairs and be in touch with you."

"Well then I'll be contacting him then. Thank you for your time sergeant. My uncle will be sorely missed." _'By someone other than me that is,' _he thought to himself and hung up.

* * *

Being grounded to the Brooklyn loft was not going as well as she'd hoped. That morning Jenny had already had her phone snatched by her dad after getting brought up to speed by Chuck that he had the bottle and was getting it looked at. She sat staring at her computer, when a Gmail chat window popped open.

**Gabriel**: Good morning.

**Jenny**: Hey.

**Gabriel**: You don't answer your texts.

Jenny groaned out loud and wrote

**Jenny**: Sorry my dad swiped my phone, I'm grounded right now.

**Gabriel**: Ok, I'm sure there's great story behind all that but I have a plane to catch. I did some checking but without more info I don't know how useful I can be. It's in your email. I should be back in the early A.M. tomorrow.

**Jenny**: Wow, sounds like some flight.

**Gabriel**: Yeah, well I've got a descent layover in LAX. I'll call/email when I get in there to see if you and Chuck have turned up anything new. Later.

Jenny brought up her email. The note was pretty short. Attached were some basics on the research that Dr. Van Der Woodsen had been pioneering. A few articles on the type Lymphoma that Lily had been diagnosed with. Much of this was all over Jenny's head, but she plowed in any way. When she was done with the articles, she read the note at the end of the email.

'_If Lily really is sick and is not receiving pain killers, then she should not be looking well. Progressed stages of the disease put people into agony, and treatment isn't a whole lot better. These effects during treatment are diminished with the application of the right pain killers so the patient can live a somewhat normal life. She doesn't seem to be getting these though from what you describe. Also blood count analysis tests that her doctor would run to check the progression of her cancer and treatment would show the presence of an antibiotic like the one that girl described. If Lily is taking these pills and her doctor is running regular tests then the doctor will know about this. I state this only so you realize that while it may not be William prescribing these drugs, it is very unlikely that he is unaware of them in her system. Tread lightly as you look into this.'_

_-Gabriel_

She couldn't fathom how Dr. William Van Der Woodsen was involved in this. He had cured Lily before, that's why she went to him for treatment the previous summer. It sounded like Gabriel was just being paranoid because she had asked him to look at the problem from his expertise in knowing the world of Dr. William Van der Woodsen, of course he would find a slant where he was involved. As she read the last of the email, the house phone rang.

"Hello," Jenny said.

"You didn't answer your cell,"

"You mean, my dad didn't. He took it." She said with a hesitant tone.

"Lily's pills are Ivermectin. They're great at battling parasites and African River Blindness, but Lymphoma, not so much."

"Well, is it dangerous? I mean does she know what she's taking?" Jenny asked, suddenly worried.

"What we need to find out is who prescribed them and when."

"I wish she hadn't ripped the label off the bottle, I can't remember what it said."

"That's ok, the date and drug store were still legible, which was enough to track down the prescribing doctor. Luckily pharmacists don't make enough to turn down bribes," Chuck quipped.

"Uh, ok, so what next?" Jenny responded.

"The mission requires an expert. Someone highly trained in the art of extorting information," Chuck mused whimsically.

"You're not seriously going to use this thing to try and get back with Blair?" Jenny asked him skeptically.

"My priority is the truth. If she's the one that can expose it-,"

"Then you'll take advantage of that to make sure she doesn't move on. Alright I get it. But look my guy thinks that William is probably in on this thing. It's doubtful he's behind it but, unlikely that he's not at least aware of what she's taking."

"Wait a minute. Your guy? You have a guy?" Chuck queried, poorly stifling his laughter.

"Yeah, look I've been living on the Upper East Side for a while now. You're not the only one with contacts," she retorted defensively.

"Right that's why I have to guide you by the hand through all my schemes. Please, Jenny. Call off your Nancy Drew squad and leave this to the professionals. Meet me at the Waldorf's," Chuck said ending the phone call even as Jenny's voice trailed on the other end of the line.

"Well wait, I'm" ***CLICK*** "grounded." Looking around the Brooklyn loft she thought 'Oh well. How much more grounded could I possibly get.' So she picked up her purse and walked out to catch a cab to the Waldorf's.

* * *

Gabriel had rested during the long flight from Sydney to L.A. but after he landed, he realized a great deal of work lay ahead of him. He had several new messages waiting for him as he exited customs in LAX terminal. Those would have to wait though. He had an identity to shed first. He exited the terminal and hailed cab to a local bus station where he used a locker key to open a travel locker holding an overnight bag. From there he went to a hotel and changed out of the clothes of Jaques Dupuis, removed the padding he had around his middle, the makeup, wig, and the false beard on his face to help add a few years of age. When he left the hotel to return to LAX terminal the long, light colored hair of Jaque Dupuis was gone and the short cropped, jet black hair of Gabriel replaced him. The wig, clothes, identification documents were packaged in a prearranged box and left at the hotel front desk to be Fed Exed back to him in New York the next day.

Gabriel didn't believe the exact Hindu definition of Karma; he had seen too much wrong to believe that there was enough good in the world that balanced it all out. He did, however, believe in Fate. And he also held the belief that the Fates, while being completely and utterly insane, did hold to a certain level of balance in life. And things had simply been going far too well for him of late.

The first encrypted email he read as he sat at the gate for the flight back to New York was slightly coded so he couldn't be completely sure of the specifics, but the intent was fairly clear. The New York branch of Izmaylovskaya Gang, a Russian Mob syndicate with global ties and connections, had recently had a deal go south for them. He wasn't sure what exactly the product was; weapons, drugs, people, whatever was the hot smuggling item these days. But the point was it had been busted, and the police had the product now. The mob was very good at insulating senior members, but right now they wanted his services for ensuring their partner in this deal paid up for the initial investment that was lost. Gabriel was sure he would get the specifics when he was in New York. Encryption was a good step to being secure, but the FBI was always getting smarter and they loved computers. The Izmaylovskaya Gang wasn't going to give away specifics even in an encrypted email that was then written in a general code. They did give him one name though, Carter Basin. 'Well, at least now I know why they want me on it,' he thought.

Gabriel hadn't been entirely truthful to Nate and Jenny about his subcontracting job with Basin. Carter had been supplementing his lifestyle as a world traveler and jet setter since his parents cut him off with high stakes gambling. This had put him into the circles that the Gang ran in. He then began to act as a silent partner to some of their operations for a cut of the action. Last that Gabriel had heard, Carter was running a few dirty Customs guys down at one of the docks. Gabriel was starting to go legitimate and could run around the Upper East Side with an ease that many of the Gang's other enforcers could not. He was the ideal choice to track down a snake like Carter and help him see the error of his ways. You did not cut the mobsters out of money that was owed to them.

The next message was even more cryptic. It was from Katya, which meant that something big was up. It could be very lucrative for him or very bad for him. It was always one of the two with that woman. She was one of top ranking members in the Izmaylovskaya Gang and also held major connections with another powerful Russian Mafia, the Solntsevskaya Bratva, or Solntsevskaya Brotherhood, one of the most powerful criminal organizations in the world. They were not as tightly and strictly organized as the Izmaylovskaya Gang and their presence in New York was only limited, but their global resources dwarfed it tenfold by comparison. Katya had helped Gabriel get his foot in the door by vouching for him based on their uniquely shared background. It was because of that she was the only one in the Gang that ever knew him as anything other than Alexei.

_Gabriel, Darling. We must have tea when you return, I do love our little chats. You're the only one I can ever speak to with discretion._

They never really chatted; she needed him for a job. The 'discretion' meant he would have to keep the operation quiet and move on it fast. The 'tea' meant she needed to see him ASAP. 'Coffee' would have given him a little more casual time. He would have to see her first thing upon his return.

The final email was from Jenny.

_Found out it was Dr. Holland Kemble that prescribed the pills. She is saying now that she and Rufus had an affair. Seems that she's behind the whole thing and not Dr. VDW. We need a way to prove that she was doing something illegal though. Any chance you can scare up some medical records or something with that VooDoo Private Investigator magic you do? I'm going to try to find another bottle of mislabeled pills at Lily's to use as leverage against her._

But a few minutes ago she had sent him a text from a cell phone he didn't recognize. This one troubled him though.

_This is Jenny H., don't worry about the pills. None of it matters now. You were right from the beginning about Dr. VDW. I'm just gonna try and salvage what I can of my family. _

Gabriel was confused but his mind was working overtime trying to decipher what he could from all the messages. Something had changed. Gabriel tapped out a text quickly as he began to board his flight.

_Look, I don't know fully what's going on but I can give you two pieces of advice. 1, pick your battles. 2, when in a pinch William VDW will always run. He's gotten very good at it over the years. I'm on the red-eye back 2 NY. I'll try and help you when I get in._

There was more to this thing than he was seeing, he was sure of it. He just hoped the advice he gave would help and not hurt the situation.

* * *

Jenny was storming up the stairs after her Dad as he ran into the Library Benefit when the phone she had got from Blair buzzed. She scanned the text quickly as she pursued Rufus.

"Pick your battles? What the hell is he talking about? I'm in the fight of my life trying to save my family from itself."

Her fight with Serena was still fresh in her memory and Blair had been talking down to her like a simpleton all day. She was ready to rage on someone. This was a fight she wasn't going to lose. She was done with the Upper East Side and the Van Der Woodsens. She was going to take back her old life and take her family with her. But now her Dad was storming in trying to undo all she had been trying to accomplish to help him.

Rufus stormed up to Kemble with Jenny in tow, as Chuck and Blair were eeking out a confession from her. "Blair what the hell is going on?"

"Would you like to tell him or would you like Dr. Disciplinary to do it?" Chuck proffered?

"I only wrote those prescriptions because I owed someone a favor."

"The same someone who told you to tell Lily you slept with me," said Rufus as the pieces began falling into place.

"The person you really need to talk to is William Van der Woodsen." Holland said.

"Where's Will?" asked Rufus.

Jenny was already on the move before Holland had dropped the final piece of the puzzle for them. She had known since earlier that day that William Van der Woodsen had been behind Lily's medication when she found the envelope with William's name and the mislabeled pills. At that point, everything in Gabriel's email had made sense; William had been in on it and now she knew he had been behind it all as well. She could still win this fight though, she thought. If she could get Dr. Van der Woodsen out of the benefit, maybe he could seal the deal with Lily and the rest of her family. 'They all turned their backs on my dad and me at the drop of a hat. If I can buy him some time, maybe William will get Lily to do something unforgiveable and he'll finally see them for what they are and what they have done to us all,' she thought, rushing through the crowd and finding William Van der Woodsen across the hall.

"Dr. Van der Woodsen I need to talk to you over here right away!" she said pulling him away from a group of party guests into a secluded corner.

"What's so important Jenny?"

"Holland is about to tell them everything if she hasn't already."

"Tell who what?" he responded confused.

"Everyone! The truth about you and Holland working together to split up my Dad and Lily."

"Jenny, I'm sorry I know you love your father very much but-" William started before Jenny cut him off.

"Which is why I understand why you did it. And I don't blame you for it either. It's just, if you're gonna get out of here you gotta go right now."

Still not admitting to anything, William Van der Woodsen appraised the new ally in front of him with a questioning stare. "Why are you telling me all of this?"

"So you can get your family back." Jenny hesitated before adding, "And I can get mine."

* * *

'Pick your battles' she thought. Funny how clear things could be in hindsight. Jenny sat on the couch in Chuck and Nate's shared penthouse cycling through the Pay-Per-View listings, the sound of Nate's snoring slipping out from the bedroom. She settled on 'New Moon' and hit select. Perhaps some vampire and werewolf angst could help her work through her own. She had risked big that night and lost big. The opening credits began to roll as she appraised her situation. Her dad was beyond furious with her. Serena was still cross with her as well but the look Eric had given her was finally starting to hit home for her. Had she finally gone too far? He had looked so hurt and betrayed, but also down right livid. She had tried to talk through it with Nate but he was staying so firmly in the friend zone it wasn't what she really needed, then he had fallen asleep. She had burned so many bridges of late, she was starting to wonder how many could be left. What would Dan think of her when he found out what she had done? He had taken off after Serena before her confession to the family. She would have to deal with him soon enough at the loft, there was no going back to the Van der Woodsen's penthouse. Gabriel would be back in the morning, she didn't even know what to make of that guy. He seemed trustworthy and yet not. She let these questions be drowned out as the Cullen family got on with celebrating Bella's birthday.

* * *

End Chapter 5

A/N. Sorry for the long delay on this chapter. I have been getting bounced all over the world for work right now and haven't had the same kinda down time when I started. In my defense my beta reader took forever too ;-p. Kind of a weird chapter to write, I was amazed by how cut and dry the Jack Bass scene turned out when I was scared about it being a little too dark and heavy handed. The names of the Russian mafia gangs are in fact real ones. I'm of course making up everything else about them but I figured real names are sure to be better than anything I could make up. Reviews are appreciated and thanks for reading this far.


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